Deftones Added to Rock on the Range, Chino Moreno Talks Music Industry Survival

It’s going to be a busy year for the Deftones as they ready the release of Gore, the long-awaited successor to 2012’s Koi No Yokan. The band has set their sights on an April 8 release and will, of course, be touring in support of the record. So far, the band has only booked a handful of appearances, most recently being added to Columbus, Ohio’s Rock on the Range. Gearing up for another album and touring cycle also has frontman Chino Moreno giving his advice to his two sons, who are both musicians, about touring to pay the bills.

The addition of Deftones to Rock on the Range has increased the value of an already impressive lineup consisting of Red Hot Chili Peppers, Disturbed, Rob Zombie, Shinedown, Five Finger Death Punch and a lot more. Moreno commented on joining the lineup for the milestone anniversary of the festival, stating, “Rock on the Range has always been a show we enjoy playing, and to be a part of the 10th year is particularly exciting for us, especially with a new album in tow. See you all in May.” Additionally, the fest will host a live episode of That Metal Show, which was recently canceled by VH1 Classic after 14 seasons. The festival has also added Andrew Watt, The Shrine and filled out the Rolling Rock Comedy Tent with Jay Mohr, Big Jay Oakerson, Nate Bargatze, Craig Gass, Bethany Dwyer and Madison Malloy, joining Columbus’ top local comedic talent.

Being on the road can be tough for musicians as they step away from their families for long stretches, and Moreno explained the current state of the music industry and the term “rockstar.” “One of the biggest myths about being a rockstar would probably obviously be the word ‘rockstar’ itself,” the singer started. “You know — that everything is given to you. You make free records, or you win a Grammy, or you have a platinum record and then everything’s sort of easy.” Recalling the band’s early years, he said, “I remember when we first got signed in 1995 in my mind I thought, ‘Wow, we made it.’ and then I realized that we left our town of Sacramento and went to the Midwest of America and we’re playing for 2-3 people a night sometimes.”

Talking about the necessity of touring for a living, Moreno went on, “So it’s always constant work. I mean even today, it’s like if we don’t tour for a good third of the year, we’re not gonna be able to pay our bills. It’s not like I guess who people perceive it like you’re going to get in a rock band and be driving around in a Lamborghini, it’s not gonna happen.” Noting a couple exceptions, the singer stated, “Unless you’re Justin Bieber or Adele or somebody, honestly I mean you have to actually work to earn a living. I’m not complaining about that all. I dig it, I like working, I like playing shows, I like making records, so…”

Moreno is taking the lessons he learned on tour and from the music industry in general and imparts them on his two sons. Speaking with Mary Anne Hobbs of BBC Radio, the frontman spoke about the advice he has offered them. “I have to give advice to my two sons who are both musicians. And they’re both totally different,” Moreno began. “One of ’em’s a total punk kid, who’s in a thrash-punk, skate-punk band, whatever. The other kid is a DJ and electronic musician.”

A supportive father, the Deftones frontman continued, “Both of them I’m very encouraging to them to have fun and make music. It’s really hard to make it in music.” Talking about the reality of the industry and the impact it has on family life, he keeps them grounded in reality when stating, “If they’re gonna be wanting to have families and children and get married and this and that, it’d be good to keep in school for the time being while you can. Be a kid while you can be a kid as well, ya know?”

“But obviously enjoy yourselves,” said the frontman, touting his support, “I’ve never discouraged them from doing music, I think it’s great and I like the fact that music they do is something very much that they’ve chose to do. They do their own thing and I think it’s great.” Careful not to blur the lines between musician and father, he concluded, “But you know, I’m the parent now that’s telling them have something to fall back on obviously, so I think it’s important to know that.”

The first taste of new Deftones music came last week with the debut of “Prayers / Triangles.” The song is moody and ethereal, gradually picking up in intensity as the song continues, boasting a powerful yet restrained chorus.

See Where Deftones Rank Among the Top 50 Hard Rock + Metal Debut Albums

Welcome back to Loudwire

It appears that you already have an account created within our VIP network of sites on .
To keep your personal information safe, we need to verify that it's really you.
To activate your account, please confirm your password.
When you have confirmed your password, you will be able to log in through Facebook on both sites.

Welcome back to Loudwire

It appears that you already have an account on this site associated with . To connect your existing account just click on the account activation button below. You will maintain your existing VIP profile. After you do this, you will be able to always log in to http://loudwire.com using your original account information.